


Bitter Choco

by gurajiorasu



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Light Angst, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-17
Updated: 2015-02-17
Packaged: 2018-03-13 10:38:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3378428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gurajiorasu/pseuds/gurajiorasu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Sho chan said we give chocolate to people that we like on Palenbine’s Day-”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bitter Choco

“Ne, Masaki, do you want to help me in the kitchen?” Nino approached the toddler who was playing with building blocks. The kid was pouting because he was bored and Nino found it really cute.

The boy’s eyes gleamed, “May I? Am I allowed to be in the kitchen?”

Nino chuckled, remembering that Masaki was banned from the kitchen because he tried to mix rice with sand one day. He squatted in front of Masaki and said, “If you promise to follow my instruction, then you’re allowed.”

“I promise! I promise!” Masaki jumped around, abandoning his castle and fort.

Nino smiled and ruffled Masaki’s hair briefly before walking towards the kitchen, “Alright, bring the chair so you can reach the counter.”

Masaki ran and tried to drag Nino’s chair with his tiny hands, “What are we going to make?”

“It’s Valentine’s Day - _take your stool, Masaki, my chair is too heavy for you_ ,” Nino eyed the kid as Masaki gave up on the big chair and ran for the small plastic stool, “You know what Valentine’s Day is, right?”

“Un!” Masaki nodded and put the stool beside Nino. He climbed on it and reached the counter, “Sho chan said we give chocolate to people that we like on Palenbine’s Day-”

“Valentine’s.”

“Yeah, Palenbine’s. He gave a piece for me and a box for Jun chan.”

Nino giggled. Kids nowadays grow up fast, he thought. Patiently, he put a green apron on Masaki. He put the yellow one on himself afterward.

Masaki studied the things that Nino put on the table. His face was scrunched up, he was thinking. When Nino put down cocoa powder, Masaki’s face lighted up, “Oh! We’re making chocolate!”

“Yes, we are,” Nino singsung. Then, he took his time for managing the little comfortable flutter in his heart before saying, “Shall we make for Papa? I think we have enough time until he’s back from work.”

“Yes! Yes!” Masaki cheered and clapped his hands.

“The bowl, pleeease,” Nino started. He measured some powder ingredients carefully, trying to prevent the butterflies in his stomach from interfering the precision.

“Hai!” Masaki took the aluminum bowl and placed it next to Nino.

Nino poured the measured ingredients and gave it back to Masaki, “Please whisk it, Chef Ohno.”

Masaki giggled to that, “Alright!”  
He ended up whisking with too much energy that the powder puffed around him. Some got into his nose and he sneezed.

“Careful, Chef,” Nino laughed. He took out his handkerchief and wiped Masaki’s nose gently. Masaki got this oddly refreshing quality from his Papa, he noted.

Masaki laughed too and resumed his task more carefully this time. Meanwhile, Nino put some cocoa butter on the double boiler. To fill the silence, they decided to sing some random children songs. Nino would do some accompanying dance moves occasionally and Masaki would follow suit.

“What should we put in the chocolate?” Nino asked while pouring the butter.

“Umeboshi!” Masaki suggested excitedly.

Nino made a face and shook his head.

“No?” Masaki giggled, “Tuna, then! Papa loves tuna!”

Nino laughed. Actually, it might be something that Ohno would gladly try, “He does but it wouldn’t taste good in the chocolate - w _hisk it, whisk it_ \- how about almonds? Strawberries?”

“Almooooonds!” Masaki said cheerfully while whisking with all of his might.

Nino took strawberries, almonds, cashews, and raisins, “I’ll just put them all here so you can put them however you like it, okay?”

“Yeay!”

Then, Nino opened the drawer to seek for the moulds, “What shape do you want?”

“Fish!”

Nino cackled. Actually, he already reached for it even before Masaki answered, “Of course it’s fish if it’s Papa, ne?”

“Uhn!”

Nino gave one mold to Masaki and gave the instruction, “Pour it in carefully until it’s half full, put the filling, and pour the chocolate again until it’s full. Can you do it?”

“How about you? Don’t you want to make it too?” Masaki tilted his head curiously.

Nino smiled softly. He gave it a thought for the slightest moment. He then took a plain square mold and put it down, “I am.”

Masaki grinned. He began to sing again, humming some parts that he didn’t quite remember and screaming some other parts that he loved the most. He wiggled his hips from time to time, trying to dance even though he was determined to keep his hand steady.

Nino sang along, tilting his head to right and left tentatively. He put mixture of chopped almonds and cashews to some chocolates and slices of strawberries to the others. He poured the chocolate carefully, making sure that it wouldn’t end up messy. Aside of the strawberries and nuts, he also put his heart on each and every one of it.

When he’s done with his batch of chocolate, Nino turned to help Masaki. The kid was already turned into a sticky mess. His little fingers were covered by chocolate and his face was smudged here and there.

Playfully, Nino smeared some of the chocolate to Masaki’s nose.

“Aaaaaa!” Masaki whined but he smiled. As a revenge, he caught Nino’s cheeks with his chocolate covered hands and pinched them.

They engaged the chocolate war until their stomachs were hurting from laughing. In the end, Nino wrapped his arms around the kid’s body and swung him around. Masaki chuckled and screamed his joy.

“Alright, alright, let’s clean you up,” Nino said after putting the chocolate to the fridge. He hoisted Masaki up and giggled when Masaki kissed him and tickled him.

“I want a bath! Bath! Bath! Bath!” Masaki clung to Nino’s neck, “Bath with Mr. Duck and Mr. Froggie!”

“Bath?” Nino asked. He glanced at the clock; they still had time, “Okay then, let’s take a bath together!”

They strolled to the bathroom and Masaki chanted how he loved Nino endlessly.

*******

_Plop!_

“Woah, it’s pretty!” Nino turned to see Masaki’s expression as they take out the chocolates from the moulds.

Masaki’s eyes were filled with excitement, “Chocolate fish! Chocolate fish! Papa will love it!”

“Yes, of course he will. Here, you put it in the center of the wrapping paper like this, and then you tie it with the ribbon like this,” Nino gave a demonstration to Masaki. Masaki nodded then tried to wrap it himself. He took some of the fish shaped chocolates and wrapped it.

Nino smiled proudly. Masaki was a smart kid despite his excessively adventurous and experimental side. He didn’t really resemble his father in physical aspect, but somehow Nino could clearly see Ohno in every little things that Masaki did.

And that’s why he could never get enough of the little kid.

Nino sighed a happy sigh. He turned to his own chocolates and wrapped it in yellow wrapping paper. He put a plain blue ribbon on it and he stared at it for a while.

It was plain and simple but it was sincere. It conveyed Nino’s true feeling towards Ohno; not excessive but earnest and forthright. It’s not demanding; it’s just simply there.

“Masaki?” a voice startled them both.

Masaki and Nino exchanged looks. It was Ohno.

“Come on,” Nino pushed Masaki lightly, “Let’s give it to your Papa.”

Masaki nodded and ran to the front door with chocolates behind his back.

“Oh, here you are, Papa’s boy!” Ohno squatted and took Masaki to his embrace.

“Papa, I made chocolates!” Masaki announced proudly. Nino was smiling behind him.

“Oh, you did?” Ohno asked. He shot a glance to Nino, asking if it was true.

Nino nodded, of course.

“Tadaaaaaaaaaa!” Masaki revealed two packages of chocolates. He then gave one to Ohno, “One for you,” and one to Nino, “One for you.”

Masaki hugged Ohno and continued, “I gave it to both of you because I really really reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally like both of you!”

Nino and Ohno laughed fondly to that. It’s always warming to receive such love from a kid this adorable.

Nino felt his heart beating rather vigorously when he took his chocolates from his apron’s pocket. The chocolate was just out from the pocket when he heard a female voice from outside.

“Satoshi, come on! I need my beauty sleep.”

Nino’s heart went offbeat. A soft lump was forming in his throat.

“Ah-,” Ohno looked out for a bit and picked Masaki up, “I need to get going.”

Nino nodded. Slowly, secretively, he slipped his chocolate back to his apron’s pocket.

“Say goodbye, Masaki,” Ohno ordered his son.

Masaki frowned but he did as he was told. He waved to Nino, “Bye bye, Nino chan.”

“Sensei,” Ohno fixed the way his son called Nino.

Nino shook his head softly and mouthed _it’s okay_ to Ohno.  
“Bye bye, Masaki,” Nino waved back. There’s a twinge inside his chest. It felt wrong to see Masaki and Ohno waving him goodbye.

“Thank you so much, Nino kun,” Ohno bowed a bit and turned around to step away.

Nino was ready to close the door with a hole in his heart but Ohno stopped midway.

Nino just stood there, watching as Ohno made his way back to Nino.

“Ah, here,” Ohno gave a box of chocolate to Nino.

Nino just stared to it. He was confused. He didn’t know what to do about it, but he knew there’s hope forming inside him.

Ohno flashed a smile, “Don’t worry, it’s just giri choco. I feel bad for making you wait until this late on Valentine’s Day. I know the day care should have been closed since hours ago.”

 _Oh_.

Nino took it with an obligatory smile, “Thank you, Ohno san. You shouldn’t, though, I love spending time with Masaki.”

“I love spending time with Nino chan!” Masaki chirped.

Nino and Ohno smiled to that. Then, Ohno bowed slightly and left for real.

Nino closed the door and began to tidy the daycare, trying to shut everything down by doing so. Distracting his mind on something else than the man and the kid that he loved the most in the entire world.

He still could hear the faint voice of Ohno and Masaki, though.

_“Why didn’t you make some for Mama, too?”_

_“She’s not my Mama.”_

_“Masaki..”_

_“I hate her. She doesn’t love me as much as Nino does.”_

_“She does.”_

_“No. I want Nino chan. Can’t we bring Nino chan home?”_

Nino smiled to the kid’s innocence. When he heard the sound of the car leaving the yard, he sat down on the floor and took out his chocolates.

He lined it next to the one he received from Ohno and the one he received from Masaki.

One of them was obligatory while the others conveyed true feelings - said and given or not.

Nino popped one of Ohno’s chocolate to his mouth and let out a weak smile,

“Bitter, eh?”


End file.
